Download - Infinity

K A P P A®
100.9w
120.9w

2
®
KAPPA
THANK YOU for choosing an
Infinity ® Kappa ® Series 100.9w or 120.9w
subwoofer.These Kappa subwoofers are
designed to suit a broad range of car audio
applications and can be used in a wide
variety of enclosure types to produce
extended, powerful bass in a limited
amount of vehicle space.To get the most
performance from your new subwoofer,
it is strongly recommended that you have
a qualified professional install your 100.9w
or 120.9w subwoofer. Although this manual
does provide general instructions about
installing these Kappa Series subwoofers,
it does not include enclosure construction
details or exact installation methods for
any particular vehicle. If you do not feel
that you have the necessary experience,
do not attempt the installation yourself, but
instead ask your authorized Infinity dealer
about professional installation options.
Remember to keep your sales receipt in a
safe place, along with this manual, so that
both are available for future reference.
BOX CONTENTS
(1) 100.9w or 120.9w subwoofer
(1) Foam mounting gasket
(1) 3mm hex wrench
(1) Owner’s manual
(1) Technical data sheet
WARNING
Playing loud music in a vehicle can hinder
your ability to hear traffic and permanently
damage your hearing.The maximum volume
levels achievable by Infinity speakers when
combined with high-power amplification
may exceed safe levels for extended
listening. Using low volume levels is
recommended when driving. Infinity
Systems accepts no liability for hearing
loss, bodily injury, or property damage as
a result of use or misuse of this product.
REPRODUCING
BASS IN VEHICLES
Depending on the size of your vehicle’s
interior listening space, reproduced bass
frequencies below 80Hz will be boosted
by nearly 12dB per octave as frequency
decreases.This phenomenon, known as the
vehicle’s transfer function (or cabin gain),
plays an important role in shaping the
subwoofer’s frequency response in your
vehicle.The enclosed technical data sheet
includes frequency response graphs that
show both the subwoofer’s “in-car”
response (which factors in this vehicle
transfer function) and its “out-of-car”
response (which does not).

SUBWOOFER
ENCLOSURE TYPES
Kappa 100.9w and 120.9w subwoofers are
designed to perform best in moderately
sized sealed enclosures, vented enclosures
and prefabricated band-pass enclosures.
Infinite-baffle mounting is possible, but the
subwoofer’s mechanical power handling will
be reduced because there will be no volume
of air to stiffen the subwoofer’s suspension
and prevent overexcursion. If you choose
infinite-baffle mounting, consider the RMS
and peak power-handling ratings to be half
of what is listed in the specifications in
this manual.
You should choose an enclosure type
based on the amount of cargo space you
can devote to the enclosure, the amount
of power you will use to drive your
subwoofer(s), and your listening habits.
SEALED ENCLOSURES
The air trapped inside a sealed enclosure
is compressed when the subwoofer
moves rearward and is rarefied when the
subwoofer moves forward. In both cases,
the air inside and outside the box will
seek equilibrium by pushing and pulling
on the subwoofer cone.The result is a
stiffer suspension when compared to the
subwoofer operating in free air.This means
that the subwoofer’s cone will be harder
to move at low frequencies, a condition
which protects the subwoofer from
physical overexcursion, but requires more
power than other designs to achieve a
given acoustic output.
See accompanying data sheet for specific
enclosure dimension requirements.
SEALED-ENCLOSURE PERFORMANCE ADVANTAGES
• The in-vehicle performance will have
the flattest overall frequency response.
• The in-vehicle response will have the
widest bandwidth. (Usable low-frequency
response inside the vehicle will be
below 20Hz.)
• An optimum sealed enclosure will always
be smaller than an optimum enclosure of
another type.
SEALED-ENCLOSURE PERFORMANCE TRADE-OFFS
• An optimum sealed enclosure will have
lower overall efficiency than an optimum
enclosure of another type.
• A 100.9w or 120.9w subwoofer in an
optimum sealed enclosure will require
more amplifier power to achieve a given
acoustic output than in an optimum
enclosure of another type.
SEALED-ENCLOSURE CONSTRUCTION
Sealed-enclosure construction is straightforward
and forgiving of errors in volume
calculation, but air leaks should be avoided.
Use medium-density fiberboard (MDF), glue
and screws to construct the enclosure, and
seal all joints with silicone caulk.
THE INFINITY RECOMMENDATION
100.9w and 120.9w subwoofers in sealed
enclosures are recommended for enthusiasts
who prefer accurate music reproduction
and flat frequency response, for those
who have a smaller space to devote to a
subwoofer enclosure, and for those who
have plenty of amplifier power devoted to
driving the subwoofer.The sealed-enclosure
design indicated on the technical data sheet
accompanying this manual represents the
best compromise between low-frequency
extension and flat response.
3

4
®
KAPPA
VENTED ENCLOSURES
A vented enclosure acts like a sealed
enclosure at frequencies above its tuned
(resonance) frequency. At resonance (which
is defined by the vent), the vent produces
the majority of sound – the subwoofer cone
is nearly stationary while the air inside
the vent vibrates.This provides greater
mechanical power handling at and above
resonance, but reduced mechanical power
handling below resonance. Since the
subwoofer cone and voice coil don’t move
much at resonance, airflow across the
voice coil is minimized and thermal power
handling is reduced slightly at resonance.
Vented enclosures provide better efficiency
in the 40Hz – 60Hz range, at the expense of
sound output in the lowest octave (below
40Hz).The use of an infrasonic filter is
recommended with vented enclosures.
An optimum vented enclosure for a Kappa
Series subwoofer is larger than an optimum
sealed enclosure.
See accompanying data sheet for specific
enclosure dimension requirements.
VENTED-ENCLOSURE PERFORMANCE ADVANTAGES
• An optimum vented enclosure has greater
efficiency and higher output in the
40Hz – 60Hz range than an optimum
sealed enclosure.
• An optimum vented enclosure provides
a greater sensation of bass than an
optimum sealed enclosure.
• A 100.9w or 120.9w subwoofer in an
optimum vented enclosure will require
less amplifier power to achieve a given
acoustic output (down to the enclosure’s
resonance frequency) than in an optimum
sealed enclosure.
VENTED-ENCLOSURE PERFORMANCE TRADE-OFFS
• Reduced output in the lowest octave
(below 40Hz).
• Reduced mechanical power handling
below the enclosure’s resonance
frequency.The use of an electronic
infrasonic filter is strongly recommended,
to reduce the chance of overdriving
the subwoofer below the enclosure’s
resonance frequency.
• An optimum vented enclosure will
always be larger than an optimum
sealed enclosure.
VENTED-ENCLOSURE CONSTRUCTION
Vented-enclosure construction is more
difficult than the construction of a sealed
enclosure.The enclosure volume and port
dimensions have a specific relationship
with the physical and electromechanical
characteristics of the subwoofer, requiring
that the recommended enclosure volume
and port characteristics be strictly
observed. As with sealed enclosures, use
medium-density fiberboard (MDF), glue
and screws to construct the enclosure,
and seal all joints with silicone caulk.
THE INFINITY RECOMMENDATION
100.9w and 120.9w subwoofers in
vented enclosures are recommended
for enthusiasts who prefer accentuated
bass response, for those who have plenty
of cargo space to devote to a subwoofer
enclosure and for those who will use a less
powerful amplifier to drive their subwoofer.
The volume and port dimensions indicated
on the included technical data sheet must
be followed precisely to ensure optimum
performance.

BAND-PASS ENCLOSURES
Band-pass enclosures can provide the
most output from any amplifier and
subwoofer combination over a limited
band of frequencies, but that additional
output comes at the expense of sonic
accuracy. Band-pass enclosures combine
a sealed or vented enclosure that houses
the subwoofer along with a vented chamber
into which the subwoofer outputs its sound.
The vented chamber acts as an acoustic
low-pass filter which attenuates high
frequencies in the subwoofer’s output.That
attenuation of high frequencies can make it
very difficult to hear amplifier and speaker
distortion; consequently, you may not be
able to determine when the subwoofer is
in danger of being damaged.
See accompanying data sheet for specific
enclosure dimension requirements.
BAND-PASS-ENCLOSURE PERFORMANCE
ADVANTAGES
• An optimum band-pass enclosure provides
higher output over a limited bandwidth
than an optimum enclosure of any other
type.
BAND-PASS-ENCLOSURE PERFORMANCE TRADE-OFFS
• Band-pass enclosures achieve high output
at the expense of sonic accuracy.
• An optimum band-pass enclosure has a
more limited bandwidth than an optimum
enclosure of any other type.
• The enclosure’s low-pass filter characteristics
can make it difficult to hear if the
subwoofer is in danger of being damaged.
• An optimum band-pass enclosure is usually
larger than an optimum vented enclosure.
BAND-PASS-ENCLOSURE CONSTRUCTION
Band-pass-enclosure construction is more
difficult than vented-box construction and,
as with vented enclosures, the design
parameters for the vented section must
be followed carefully. (The sealed section
is more forgiving of small design and
construction variations.) Fortunately,
there are many prefabricated band-pass
enclosures that are designed to extract
the most output possible from nearly
any subwoofer. Prefabricated band-pass
enclosures are strongly recommended
if you must have a band-pass enclosure.
If you choose to build your own band-pass
enclosure, use medium-density fiberboard
(MDF), glue and screws to construct the
enclosure, and be sure to seal all joints
with silicone caulk.
THE INFINITY RECOMMENDATION
Band-pass enclosures are recommended
only for enthusiasts who want high soundpressure
levels (SPL) without regard for
sonic accuracy. If high SPL AND greatsounding
bass are your goals, choosing a
vented enclosure is recommended instead.
5

6
®
KAPPA
MOUNTING THE
SUBWOOFER
The 100.9w and 120.9w subwoofers can be
mounted from the outside of the enclosure
or from the inside of the enclosure. Whichever
way you mount the subwoofer, use the
included foam mounting gasket to ensure a
leak-free seal between the subwoofer
frame and the enclosure.
CONNECTING THE
SUBWOOFER
SETTING THE IMPEDANCE
The 100.9w and 120.9w subwoofers both
feature the Selectable Smart Impedance
(SSI) switch.This exclusive feature lets
you set the subwoofer’s impedance to
either 2 ohms or 4 ohms with the flip of
a switch (see illustrations to the right).
This allows you to extract the most from
your subwoofer amplifier in any situation.
2-Ohm Setting
4-Ohm Setting
The SSI 2-ohm setting increases the
subwoofer’s output over the 4-ohm setting
by up to 3dB, depending on the amplifier.
Performance is identical in all other
respects. If the connected amplifier is
rated for 2-ohm operation and its 2-ohm
power ratings are within the subwoofer’s
power-handling specifications, setting the
SSI switch in the 2-ohm position will
achieve maximum output.
IMPORTANT: Make sure the
subwoofer amplifier is turned OFF before
setting the SSI switch. Do not change
the switch position while the subwoofer
amplifier is operating. Doing so could
damage the amplifier.

CONNECTING THE AMPLIFIER
The Kappa 100.9w and 120.9w subwoofer
connectors are compatible with bare wire
up to 8 AWG (tinned or untinned) and wire
that is terminated with pin connectors.
Although single banana connectors will fit
into the connector openings, the connection
may not be secure.
2. Insert wires
into connector
openings
1. Use hex wrench to open connectors
3. Use hex wrench to secure connectors
1. Use the included 3mm hex wrench to
open the connectors, as shown in the
illustration to the left.
2. Insert the wire ends into the connector
openings, as shown in the illustration to
the left.
NOTE: If using untinned bare wire,
be sure that no stray “+” and “–” strands
touch each other.Touching strands can
cause a short-circuit, which can damage
your amplifier.
3. Use the hex wrench to secure the
wires in the connectors, as shown in
the illustration to the left.
7

SPECIFICATIONS
100.9w 120.9w
10" (250mm) 12" (300mm)
SSI Automotive Subwoofer SSI Automotive Subwoofer
Power Handling (RMS): 350W 350W
Power Handling (Peak): 1400W 1400W
Sensitivity @ 2.83V/1m: 89dB 91dB
Frequency Response: 25Hz – 400Hz 23Hz – 400Hz
Impedance: 2 or 4 ohms (selectable) 2 or 4 ohms (selectable)
Voice-Coil Diameter: 2" (50mm) 2" (50mm)
Mounting Depth: 5-15/16" (150mm) 6-5/16" (160mm)
Overall Diameter: 10-3/4" (273mm) 12-5/8" (320mm)
Cutout Diameter: 9-1/4" (234mm) 11-3/16" (283mm)
A valid serial number is required for warranty coverage.
Features, specifications and appearance are subject to change without notice.
These products are designed for mobile applications and are not intended for connection to the mains.
Harman Consumer Group, Inc., 8500 Balboa Blvd., Northridge, CA 91329 USA
www.infinitysystems.com
© 2009 Harman International Industries, Incorporated. All rights reserved. • Part No. REF100.9/120.9SUBOM 3/09
Infinity and Kappa are trademarks of Harman International Industries, Incorporated, registered in the United States
and/or other countries.
Declaration of Conformity
We, Harman Consumer Group, Inc.
2, route de Tours
72500 Château du Loir
France
declare in own responsibility that the products described
in this owner’s manual are in compliance with technical
standards:
EN 61000-6-3:2001
EN 61000-6-1:2001
Klaus Lebherz
Harman Consumer Group, Inc.
Château du Loir, France 3/09